Sun, sea, sand & surprises at Microtel Mactan
PHOTOS By Fernan Nebres
The most pleasant surprise happened in Mactan. To be more specific about it, the surprise was Microtel Inn & Suites Mactan Island, Cebu.
Beyond the familiar-looking Microtel facade, we were led to one of the most photogenic lobbies we have seen. To be honest with you, it did not even feel like a hotel lobby at all. It felt like one extra-large living room which was, at the time of our arrival, buzzing with activity.
A little further out back, we were led to the al fresco dining area, framed by no less than the hotel’s spectacular white-beach front. This particular area could easily be mistaken as a café in Ibiza. It doubles as a terrace that overlooks the sea and the two pools (an infinity pool and a wading pool), the Jacuzzi, and the poolside bar.
With the breathtaking view, we tried to take in the sight as much as we could. After all, we city-bred folk are always excited about changes in scenery. What better place to achieve that than here?
For those who have been to a Microtel hotel, this particular establishment is bound to delight the senses. The hotel rooms have been tweaked to a surprisingly appealing retro twist, from the décor to the sheets. Indeed, it felt like a complete throwback to a bygone era, and we actually half-expected Brini Maxwell to show up from behind and give it a well-manicured thumbs-up. Did somebody say ‘Groovy’’?
These youthful touches were helped put together by Microtel Mactan’s full-franchise owners from Enrison Land Inc., the Benedicto siblings Grand, Mylene, Benedict, Joy, and Enrison. Together with Microtel’s own people, they came up with a hotel that defies narrow categorization.
“We wanted it to be different,” said Grand, president of Enrison Land. “We thought it should not look like a typical resort setting at all.”
“While we kept the Microtel look intact, we were given leeway on the design and the colors. Our family runs a furniture company so we have a background in terms of what things to put in the hotel. That certainly helped us along the way,” Mylene piped in.
The siblings chorused that the overall look was a team effort. From Microtel’s end, there was architect Luis Nakpil’s inputs. Mylene remarked, “It was easy to talk to the Microtel management, so we were able to put our own stamp in this hotel.”
That practically explains the unique feel of Microtel Mactan upon entrance. The funky, eye-catching furniture are from three sources: Kenneth Cobonpue, Raphael Legacy, and the siblings’ factory. The result is a burst of color that is as refreshing as it is welcoming.
“Besides the look, we want to emphasize service and affordability,” Mylene volunteered. “We do away with the frills and go for what’s key to making our guests happy.”
Service and affordability are just among the advantages of a Microtel hotel. While Microtel Mactan, which is managed by Rocky Jorolan, may boast of a different ambience, it is still the same hotel that people have come to trust.
Amenities include Microtel’s trademark chiropractic healthy-for-the-back mattresses, flat TV with cable channels, Internet-ready data port, multi-function telephone system with IDD/NDD, complete toilet and shower, electronic keycard entry system, and more. In the suite that we stayed in, there was a microwave oven, a coffeemaker, a refrigerator, a kitchen counter with sink, and a sofa sleeper.
Mylene said, “We want to put a premium on value for money for our guests, from the efficient and warm services of the staff to the food they order.”
Meanwhile, the main dining room is a partnership between Microtel and nearby Abaca’s acclaimed chef Jason Hyatt. With Asian fusion on the menu, guests have a wide variety of meals to choose from.
We have to put in here that breakfast meals at Microtel Mactan are our idea of comfort foods. The addicting banana-upside down pancakes are a must-try as well as the refreshing chicken noodle soup and the satisfying chicken congee. There are freshly baked banana loaf and breads. And, oh, leave some room for those meals that include homefries. Trust us, it would be impossible to get past breakfast without these.
Of course, the rest of the menu invites further indulgence. The hot roti is among the best we have tried, and we regret not having ordered enough. We also cannot urge you enough to go for their sweet and sour fish, a bright summery dish that is good to look at and finish off. We predict that Microtel Mactan’s dining room would soon attract followers of its own.
As the biggest Microtel hotel in the world — 161 rooms in all — the Benedictos are very much in it for the long haul. In fact, if their infectious enthusiasm for this hotel is any indication, guests can look forward to more surprises ahead.
“You can say that, as a newly opened hotel, we are on our toes coming up with new ways to satisfy our guests. Right now, we can help arrange for water-sports and island-hopping activities for them,” said Grand, who is also honorary Romanian consul. “We have a different mix from everyone else. There’s nothing like this out there.”
“That is why we want to defy expectations,” Mylene said. “With Microtel Mactan, we want to help strengthen Cebu, and Mactan specifically, as a tourist hub. We want to show everyone that we have world-class facilities here. We truly can compete with the rest of Asia.”
She went on, “Tourism Secretary Ace Durano is doing a great job promoting the Philippines and Cebu. No wonder arrivals are on the upswing. It should not surprise us if we soon overtake our Asian neighbors.”
With the direction Microtel and the Benedictos are taking, they are only too happy to share Microtel Mactan with the rest of the world.
As what the siblings aptly said, “They have to come here and really experience it, the Microtel experience.”
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Microtel Inn & Suites is located at Punta Engaño Road, Mactan Island, Lapu Lapu City, Cebu. For more information, call (63-32) 236-8888 or 0917-6310636, e-mail at mactan@microtelphilippines.com or sales@microtel-philippines.com, or log on to www.microtelphilippine.com.
